Lifebelt

ABSTRACT

A SAFTE LIFTBELT ADAPTED TO BE INFLATED BY HAND AND AUTOMATICALLY BY HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE ACTING UPON A PANSHAPED PORTION OF A ROCKING LEVER OPERATING A VALVE TO OPEN A GAS BOTTLE PROVIDED IN AN AIR TUBE TO ALLOW THE GAS   TO ESCAPE FROM THE BOTTLE INTO THE AIR TUBE TO INFLATE THE LIFEBELT.

Oct. 12, 1971 1 ROSSETTI 3,611,460

- LIFEBELT Filed Sept. 11, 1969 INVENTOR Linn Russa-Ui United StatesPatent O U.s. cl. 9-319 4 claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A safetylifebelt adapted to be inflated by hand and automatically by hydrostaticpressure acting upon a panshaped portion of a rocking lever operating avalve to open a 'gas bottle provided in an air tube to allow the gas toescape from the bottle into the air tube to inflate the lifebelt.

This invention relates to a lifebelt which can be in lated by hand andautomatically by hydrostatic pressure.

In the Italian Main Pat. No. 746,170 of Aug. 30, 1965 and the threepatents of addition Nos. 821,087; 830,818 and 833,439 filed by theapplicant on Apr. 12, 1966, Mar. 18, 1967 and Dec. 28, 1967,respectively, there has been described and illustrated a tubularlifebelt provided with braces, adapted to be put on in the manner of ajacket, and inatable by compressed air contained in one or more gasbottles accommodated in the air tube of the lifebelt. The transfer ofthe compressed fluid from the gas bottle to the lifebelt was effected bymanual pressure exercised by the palm of the hand on a rocking levertype element exerting a pull on the shaft of the Valve body to remove itfrom its seat.

The above-mentioned lifebelt, although it is considered safe by theapplicant, could not guarantee absolute safety as its operation dependson the human factor.

It is the object of the present invention to eliminate this disadvantageby providing a safety lifebelt which not only can be inflated by hand,as the above-mentioned previous lifebelts, but also automatically due tothe hydrostatic pressure of the water, the lifebelt being adjustable tothe desired pressure.

More specifically, the lifebelt according to the present inventioncarries in its interior at least one gas bottle having incorporated atits head lend a cylindrical member having an open end while the otherend, which dips into the gas bottle and communicates therewith, isclosed by a mushroom valve sealingly guided in the cylindrical memberand having its stem surrounded by a spring inter posed between the valveplate and a circular disc having a curved periphery and sealinglyslidable on the valve stem within the cylindrical member, said circulardisc being kept in the valve closing position by a rod working Within asmall cylindrical housing secured transversely t0 the cylindricalmember, said rod` extending with one of its ends through the wall of thecylindrical member to serve as an abutment for said disc while the otherend of the rod located outwardly of the cylindrical member has anenlarged portion adapted to lift the rod with the aid of the bifurcatedend of a rocking lever pivotally mounted on the gas bottle, extendingalong the outside thereof and terminating in a pan located at the inletof a recess provided in the gas bottle, said rod being returned into itsinitial position by a spring surrounding it.

The valve plate or valve head is provided with an orifice for conductingthe compressed air from the gas bottle to the air tube of the lifebeltthrough apertures provided in the cylindrical member and communicatingwith the interior of the air tube. The gas bottle is further providedwith a valve for the admission of compressed air through a single stubpipe located outwardly of the Patented Oct. 12, 1971 air tube near thevalve to permit its closing by a suitable device by loading the spring.

The accompanying drawing shows exclusively the automatically inflatablelifeblt of the present invention in a preferred non-limiting `embodimentthereof. In the drawing:

FIG. l shows the lifebelt with a gas bottle in transverse section;

FIG. 2 shows the device for manually closing the mushroom Valve.

Referring to the drawing, the gas bottle is indicated by 1 and hassecured therein at its head end a cylindrical member 2 having an openend while the other end, which dips into the gas bottle, communicatestherewith through an orifice 3 which can be closed by a mushroom valve 4sealingly guided in the cylindrical member 2. The valve stem 5 issurrounded by a spring 6 interposed between the valve plate 4 and a disc7 having a curved periphery and sealingly slidably mounted on the stem 5within the cylindrical member 2. By compressing the spring 6 the disc 7keeps the valve 4 closed with the aid of a rod 8 slidably mounted withina small cylindrical housing 9 screwed transversely to the cylindricalmember 2 on an annular boss 10 projecting therefrom. One end of the rod8 extends through the wall of the cylindrical member 2 and bears againstthe outer wall of the disc 7. The other end of the rod 8 locatedoutwardly of the cylindrical housing 9 has an enlarged portion 11serving t0 lift the rod 8 through the bifurcated end 12 of a rockinglever 13 pivotally mounted at l14 on a support 15 secured to the gasbottle 1. The other end of the rocking lever 13 terminates in a pan 16located at the inlet of a recess 17 provided outwardly on the gasbottle 1. The rod 8 is surrounded by a spring 18 located within thecylindrical housing 9 and interposed between its bottom and a cap 19fixed to the rod 8. 'Ihe spring 18 returns the rod 9 to its initialposition.

The plate 4 of the valve is provided with an orice 20 which in the openposition of the valve allows the compressed air to pass from the gasbottle 1 to the air tube 26 of the lifebelt through stub pipes 21 andexible tubes 21 communicating with the interior of the air tube 20. Thegas bottle 1 is further provided with a valve 22 for the admission orfilling in of compressed air through a stub pipe 23 located outwardly ofthe air tube 20 and sealingly closed by a plug 24.

According to FIG. 1 of the drawing it is supposed that the gas bottle 1be filled and the valve 4 closed and the rocking lever 13 is supposed tobe adjusted (position of the pivot 14 with respect to the fork 12 andthe pan 16) for a depth of ten meters. Thus the wearer of the safetylifebelt may consider safe any diving up to a depth of ten meters. Inthe case of an accident, for example in the case of sudden illness ofthe wearer, he will sink inanimate, `but on reaching the hydrostaticpressure corresponding to a depth of ten meters the pan 16 will be urgedinto the recess 17 (Which is possible as there is only atmosphericpressure in the recess). The opposite end of the lever .13l will then belifted and move the rod 8 so that the disc 7 urged by the spring 6, dueto` its curved periphery, will move against the abutment 25 and thespring 6 will extend and its pressure will diminish so that the pressureof the fluid within the gas bottle 1 will open the mushroom valve 4 andthe iiuid will pass through the ducts 3, 20, 21 and 21' to fill the airtube or lifebelt 26. At the same moment the wearer will be carried tothe surface of the water.

To ensure the proper operation of the rocking lever '13, a protectiveapron 2.7 is provided between the lever and the air tube.

For refilling the gas bottle 1 the plug 24 is removed and taking in handthe device of FIG. 2, its rod 28 is inserted in the stub pipe 23 so asto push the disc 7 which due to its curved periphery will push the rod 8upwardly into the position shown in the drawing to thereby compress thespring 6 and close the valve 4. When the disc 7 has been moved toI theleft of the rod 8 the latter will descend to -keep the disc irn theposition shown in the drawing. After the gas bottle 1 has been thusclosed it is lled through the valve 22 and through the stub pipe Z3.

Obviously when the valve 4 is to Ibe actuated manually for transferingthe compressed air from the gas bottle to the air tube it is onlynecessary to depress with the palm of a hand the pan 16 from the outsideof the lifebelt as is done in the preceding patent applications.

The karrangement of the members and constructional elements may ofcourse vary without departing from the principle of the invention.Especially the position of the pivot 14 with respect to the pan and therod 8 may vary to obtain the opening of the 'valve 4 fand thus theinflation of the lifebelt at the desired pressure and thus at thedesired depth Without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A safety lifebelt adapted to be automatically inflated comprising acompressed-air bottle accommodated in the lifebelt and provided with anautomatically operating valve in accordance With the hydrostaticpressure of the water, a cylindrical member incorporated at the head endof the air bottle and having an open and an opposite end, said oppositeend communicating with said air bottle, a valve sealingly guided in thecylindrical member for preventing said communication in a valve closingposition and comprising a valve plate carrying a stern surrounded by aspring interposed between said plate and a circular disc sealinglyslidable on the valve stem within the cylindrical member, 4a cylindricalhousing carried by said cylindrical member, a rod operative within saidhousing for maintaining said circular disc in said closing posi- 4 tionand extending with one of its ends through the wall of the cylindricalmember to serve as an abutment for said disc while the other end of therod located outwardly of the cylindrical member has an enlarged portionadapted when engaged to lift the rod, 1and a rocking lever for soengaging said enlarged portion and extending along the exterior of theair bottle and terminating in a pan located at the inlet of a recessprovided in the air bottle, said rod being returned into its initialposition by a spring surrounding it.

2. A lifebelt as claimed in claim 1, wherein an orifice extends `throughthe valve plate or head 'and serves to convey the compressed air fromthe gas bottle to the air tube of the lifebelt through aperturesprovided in the cylindrical member and communicating with the interiorof said air tube.

l 3. A lifebelt as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pan of the rockinglever operates in 'a recess containing air at atmospheric pressure.

4. A lifebelt as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lifebelt is providedwith a stub pipe closed by a stud to permit the introduction ofcompressed air into the air bottle for lling it and to permit theintroduction of a suitable device adapted to push down the slidable discfor closing the Valve.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,374,200 4/ 1945 Heigis 9-319(X) 3,145,573 8/1964 Hebenstreit 9-319 (X) 3,5 01,7'89 3/ 1970 Rossetti9--3'19 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner P. E. SAUBERER, AssistantExaminer U.S. Cl. X.R. 222-5

